The escape of a ball python, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, and a three-toed box turtle from the science classrooms is causing widespread concern throughout Pinewood Upper Campus. On March 24 at 8 a.m., Science Department Head Kim Hudson arrived at school and went to check on the two animals kept in her classroom: Peekaboo the turtle and Cocky the cockroach. However, she was alarmed to find the two terrariums empty.
“I asked all the teachers and students at Pinewood if they knew what happened to the animals, and no one had any idea,” Hudson said. “With no signs of forced entry, Peekaboo and Cocky must have escaped on their own!”
This theory was later confirmed when she and biology teacher Monica Ventrice inspected the terrariums and discovered evidence of the escape.
“The gravel in both tanks was pushed together to make a staircase,” Hudson said. “I didn’t know Cocky and Peekaboo were this resourceful.”
When junior high science teacher Elaina Tyson heard the news, she checked her own classroom terrarium. Sure enough, her ball python Dodgy had escaped as well.
“I was flabbergasted to find that the cage lid was open because Dodgy doesn’t even have arms!” Tyson said. “I noticed he must have moved a log to slither up, like a ramp. I wonder if all three animals conspired together to escape on the same day.”
Fortunately, Peekaboo was spotted by junior Riya Kolappa and was safely returned to the biology classroom. The turtle was found crawling on Fremont Road just outside of Pinewood’s campus.
“I was driving home and thought I saw a moving rock in the middle of the road. It’s a good thing I stopped the car to check it out, because I realized it was Peekaboo, the turtle from my biology class!” Kolappa said.
However, the Madagascar hissing cockroach and ball python are still on the loose.
Junior Jack Hollenbeck felt a strong emotional attachment to the cockroach and really hopes he can be found.
“Most people will kill cockroaches if they see them, but I’ll be devastated if that happens to Cocky,” Hollenbeck said. “I heard some hissing the other day and thought it was him, but it was just the air conditioning.”
The missing animals are also causing some students to feel uneasy. Senior Trevor Chin expressed concern about the ball python that is currently nowhere to be seen.
“I’m feeling nervous knowing there could be a snake slithering around campus,” Chin said. “Ball pythons aren’t venomous, right?”
Head of Upper Campus Eve Kulbieda encourages everyone to help search for the missing animals.
“There is a $1,000 reward for each animal that is found,” Kulbieda said. “The animals are most likely still on campus or in the surrounding neighborhood, and we must all work together to ensure their safe return.”
